Ore-separator



. 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(310 Model.) W. R. BUSHBY.

ORE SEPARATOR.

No. 585,552. Patented June 29, 1897.

7 3 Sheets-Sheet. 2.

W. R. BUSHBY'.

ORE SEPARATOR.

Patented June 29, 1897.

(No Model.) is sheetssheet 3.

W. R. BUSHBY."

ORE SEPARATOR Patented June 29 plane of Fig. 1.

in section, of the same.

NrrEn I STATES PATENT rricn.

WVILLIAM R. B USHBY, OF PUEBLO, COLORADO.

ORE-SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,552, dated June 29, 1897.

Application filed an s1 1896.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. BUsHBY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at My invention relates to mechanism for separating ores and precious metals or minerals; and it has for its object to provide means for utilizing the relative specific gravities of the materials to be separated when whirled or exposed to centrifugal force, whereby said materials are stratified, and in connection with such mechanism to provide means for adjusting the parts, whereby the degree of completeness of the separation may be varied.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following descripti0n,and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical central section of an ore-separating machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view at right angles to the Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly Fig. 4 is a detail transverse section of the scrapers and funnels and the contiguous portion of the centrifugal receptacle or bowl on line at 4: of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a similar sectional view of the refuse scraper and funnel on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail view in perspective of the adjusting-plate for regulating the position of the scrapers and funnels. Fig. 7 shows in diagram different forms of edges for the dividing or separating blade, which is employed to pass between the strata of savings and tailings.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

-1 designates a base or pedestal in which is 'mounted a driving-shaft 2, provided with a pulley 3, and to the upper extremity of the shaft, which projects above the contiguous end of the pedestal, is attached a centrifugal receptacle or bowl 1, which in the construction illustrated is of inverted conical shape with a contracted or trnnco-conical upper end or mouth 5, formed by an overhanging flange or lip.

Serial No. 601,229. (No model.)

Supported by the pedestal and forming a skeleton frame around the receptacle or bowl are lateral braces 6, connected at their upper ends above the upper extremity of the receptacle or bowl by a cross-bar 7 and a rear brace 8, between the upper end of which and an intermediate point of the cross bar is mounted a tilting or rock bar 9, the extremities of which are reduced, as shown at 10, to fit in bearings, respectively, in the brace 8 and the bar 7.

The cross-bar supports a feeding-hopper 11, of which the neck portion 12is engaged by a stirrup or clip 13, provided with nuts 14L, said neck portion of the hopper being located coaXially with the centrifugal receptacle or bowl.

In operation the ground or comminuted ore is fed by the hopper into the rapidly-whirling receptacle or bowl, the same being deposited at the bottom or reduced end thereof when the receptacle or bowl is arranged in the upright position illustrated in the drawings, and the centrifugal force causes the ore to climb the side walls of the receptacle or bowl. As the contents of the receptacle approach the point of largest diameter it becomes Stratified by reason of the difference of the specific gravities of the different materials, those particles which contain minerals or precious metals or the savings and which are of greater specific gravity being arranged in contact with the surface of the receptacle or bowl, while the refuse or tailings forms a layer within the savings. i

In order to concentrate the savings and tailings separately,l employ scrapers and funnels arranged with their operative edges at different' distances from the axis of rotation, one being at such a distance as to pass between the tailings and savings and direct the former into a suitable conductor, while the other is arranged contiguous to the surface of the receptacle or bowl to receive the savings. In the construction illustrated the scrapers are in a main flared funnel 15, which communicates with a refuse or tailings conveyer 16, and a secondary funnel 17, which communicates with a savings-conveyer 18, theouter wall 19 of the secondary or savings funnel having a reduced edge adapted to traverse or operate contiguous to the inner surface of the receptacle or bowl at its point of greatest diameter and the main funnel being provided with a similar dividing knife or wall 20, which is preferably adjustable toward and from the fixed wall or knife 19 of the secondary or savin gs funnel, whereby the relative positions of the walls or knives may be changed to suit the thickness of the stratum of savings, the thickness of this stratum being regulated by the richness of the ore.

The means shown in the drawings for accomplishing the adjustment of the wall or knife 20 with relation to the fixed wall or knife 19 include a set-screw 21, arranged in a slot 22 of the main funnel and engaging a transverse portion or car 23 of the adjustable wall or knife.

The funnels are preferably flared laterally or in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the flange 5 as well as radially or perpendicular to the plane of the side walls of the receptacle or bowl, whereby the adjoining edges of the funnels are respectively parallel with the contiguous angularly-disposed portions of the inner surface of the receptacle or bowl.

The proximity of the edges of the funnels to the surfaces of the contiguous portions of the receptacle or bowl is regulated by means arranged in connection with the conveyers 16 and 18, which pass through openings 24 and 25, provided for their reception in the rockbar 9, and in which they are secured by means of set-screws 26. Beyond this rock-bar the conveyers are engaged by a securing-plate 27, also perforated to receive said conveyers and provided with a slot 28, engaged by a setscrew 29.

It is obvious that by loosening the set-screw the securing-plate may be adjusted parallel with the axis of the receptacle or bowl to arrange the funnels of the scraping devices at any desired distance from the surface of the receptacle.

Obviously the dividing edge of the adj ustable wall or blade 20 may be varied in shape to suit different conditions of operation which may be found to be necessary in practice, and in Fig. 7 I have shown diagrams of different forms of cutting edges arranged in operative relation with the contiguous portion of the receptacle or bowl. It will be seen by reference to said diagrams that I do not deem it necessary to arrange the edge of this dividing or separating blade 20 parallel with the contiguous portion of the wall of the receptacle or bowl, but that the same may be arranged across the angle or may be of angular or curved construction.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

While in the drawings I have shown a conf siderable shoulder formed by the ear 23 of the scraper 20, it will be understood that in practice this surface may be considerably reduced in area,'and if found to obstruct the reception of the ore the same may be avoided by inclining it rearwardly or in the direction of movement of the ore, this construction not being illustrated, however, for the reason that it will not materially affect the operation or the relative positions of the parts as shown and described.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. A11 ore-separator having a centrifugal receptacle or bowl of inverted conical construction, and aplurality of conveyers, having a common mouth arranged contiguous to the wall of the receptacle and provided with a plurality of scrapers corresponding in numberwith the conveyers,substantiallyas specified.

2. An ore-separatorhavingacentrifugalreceptacle or bowl of inverted conical construction, a plurality of conveyers having a common flared mouth, one edge of which forms a scraper to direct material into one conveyer, and an intermediate partition in the mouth forming a scraper to deflect material into another conveyer, substantially as specified.

3. An ore-separator having a centrifugal receptacle or bowl, independent conveyers, a common mouth for said conveyers having funnels or compartments communicating respectively with the conveyers, scraping-blades arranged at different distances from the axis of rotation of the receptacle to deflect different strata of material into the funnels or compartments of the mouth, and means for varying the relative positions of said blades to suit the thickness of different strata, substan tially as specified.

4. An ore-separator having a centrifugal re ceptacle or bowl of inverted conical construction and provided at its point of greatest diameter with an upwardly and inwardly inclined flange, main and secondary funnels of cross-sectionally-angular construction comv municating respectively with conveyers and having flared sides arranged respectively at an angle corresponding with that between the intersecting surfaces of the receptacle and flange, and an intermediate dividing or sepa- 1 rating blade arranged between the funnels to I separate contiguous strata of material, sub- 1 stantially as specified. 5. An ore-separatorhavingacentrifugal receptacle or bowl, contiguous funnels communicating with independent conveyers, fixed and movable scraping-blades arranged in opi erative relation respectively with said funnels 3 at different distances from the wall of the receptacle, to direct different strata of materials 5 into the funnels, and means for securing the v movable blade at the desired interval from the fixed blade to suit the thickness of the exterior stratum, substantially as specified. 6. An ore-separator having an inverted conical centrifugal receptacle or bowl provided at its top with an upwardly-contracted flange,

a rock-bar, funnels having scraping-blades rial into the conveyers, a common rocking support for the conveyers, whereby they may be simultaneously adjusted, with the funnels and blades, to vary the intervals between the blades and the wall of the receptacle, and means for securing said support at the desired adjustment, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM R. BUSHBY.

Witnesses:

HERBERT (LBAKER, JOHN MORTON. 

